Fingarson Awarded U.S. Senate Finance Committee Internship

Fingarson Awarded U.S. Senate Finance Committee Internship

At the College of Business we have a lot to be proud of, but when
it comes to students like Ashley Fingarson, we shine.

Fingarson, a senior at Montana State University majoring in
business marketing from Atlanta Ga., recently completed an
internship with the Institute for Humane Studies. Now, she has
recently been accepted by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee as an
intern in Washington D.C.

The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) Journalism Internship
Program at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va, accepted
Fingarson for a 10-week internship. The program kicked-off in
Washington D.C. for one week with the following nine weeks spent
in the newsroom at The Valley Morning Star in Harlingen, Texas.

Fingarson did not ease into her position as a journalist; rather,
she jumped in with both feet. The Reagan State Funeral was held
while Fingarson was in D.C. attending IHS seminars. She was asked
by her soon-to-be editor in Harlingen to write an article on the
funeral and surrounding events. The article ran on the front page
of the Valley Morning Star.

Arriving in Texas, Fingarson was put to work as a general
assignment reporter, covering local governmental issues,
features, and community stories. Additionally, each week she
submitted "A Slice of Life," which focused on a member of the
community. As the "rookie" reporter, Fingarson was often sent out
on assignment with little time to prepare. Fingarson shined as
she met the challenges she confronted with tenacity and continued
success.

Two weeks into the program, Fingarson was offered a full-time
reporting position after her anticipated graduation of Spring
2005. Although this offer was enticing, Fingarson has decided to
take a different path.

Recently, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee offered Fingarson an
internship through Senator Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) office.
Fingarson is the first scholar accepted for this internship
program, which is organized and entirely supported by the College
of Business's Bracken Center. "This internship is perfect for me
because I will be able to combine both my passion for journalism
with my insatiable interest in public policy," Fingarson said.
Fingarson will begin her internship Jan 10, where she will be
researching for the various teams associated with the committee,
such as tax, Social Security, and international trade. She will
also be corresponding with newspapers such as The Wall Street
Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, sending
press releases and informing them of the Committee's status.

Fingarson hopes that her two internships will be the springboard
upon which she will build her career as a journalist and public
policy analyst. She expects the position will culminate after
years as a working journalist, heavily involved in Congressional
issues and public policy. She aspires to be awarded the Nieman
Fellowship for Journalists at Harvard University, which requires
at least five years working journalism experience. She then hopes
to study law at Harvard. Fingarson is also currently writing a
memoir, which she hopes to have published within the next five
years.

There are few words to describe the pride we at the College of
Business have when it comes to Ashley Fingarson. We wish her the
best in all of her endeavors.